A Life Full of Happiness

There is no doubt that The Stampsmith create the most amazing vintage style images but sometimes there are people in our lives who like a more contemporary style of card. My sister is such a person. So when it came time to make a birthday card for her I knew Girlfriends was the perfect stamp. Here I have used the larger sized version of this stamp.When making birthday cards my preference is not to stamp "Happy Birthday" on the card front, instead adding the sentiment inside on the insert. What I like to do is add words, phrase, etc, that is when a stamp plate such as Say It With Flair is such a great investment. Here I stamped "Happiness". After all, don't we wish a life full of happiness for everyone in our lives.

Lucy Vacation Book

I had submitted this a while back and since it has been returned, thought I could share it here. I thought it would be fun to see if I could create a story using the images from the Lucy plate, so this is what I came up with.



















Hope you enjoyed the trip.

Rosemary

Here's to you, friend!

As you can see, my card above was inspired by the photo album below. The caption inside the card reads, "Here's to you, friend!" The vintage image I used is a photostamp by The Stampsmith, called Coffee Gal. Isn't she great?

It's hard to tell in the photo, but the album is covered in a beautiful silk material with silver, velvet flowers over it. This is also a two album set. The second album, in behind, is entirely silver silk...hence the ribbon holding the two of them together.
Here's a close up of the handmade flower, made by moi, and it gives you a better look at the silver embossed flowers that I stamped on the corners of the patterned paper.
Thanks for stoppin' by! :)

Darling Boys

I have a 'welcome, baby boy' card to share with you tonight, featuring a photostamp from the Darling Boys plate from The Stampsmith. There's so many wonderful images in this plate and this is one of my favourites.

I'm sorry I had to crop down this image to fit inside the photo frame, but it is a sweet image if you can see the whole image. Look at that precious face and I love the old tub that he's in, washing his little teddy bear! Too cute! :)

Happy Crafting,

Springtime Beauty

Spring is the in the air and in my eyes, The Stampsmith's stamp that best captures springtime and the approaching summer days is Serena.
Pattern papers, a length of glitter ribbon sticker, a pressed flower from the garden last year and a generous length of organza ribbon make up this card along with "Beauty" from the Say It With Flair plate. Wishing you beautiful Springtime days. Lynne x

Some Birthday RAK's

Hi Smithies! I have four cards for you today. I made the cards for birthday RAK's. I used Lucy, Audrey, and Ballerina (Shall We Dance Sheet). I used a different color palette for each card and added dry embossing.

Click over to my blog, Dreaming and Creating, for more deets. Have a happy Monday.

Karen McAlpine

Mini Travel Album

Hi Lovely Smithies!

I have a Mini Travel Album for you today. I used one of the fabulous Audrey Stamps and a sentiment from the Paris Full Sheet - both available from the Stampsmith Shop. I left several blank pages for jotting down sweet memories and adding photos.

And here is a peek at the inside with lots of room for writing.

There is more info on my blog too. Have a super happy day!!

Karen McAlpine

Take A Letter

I can never have enough notebooks and have several on the go at any one time, all for different purposes. One step better than a notebook is a handmade notebook. The girl with typewriter from Thank Heaven for Little Girls#2 plate is such a perfect image for a notebook/journal.
The notebook is made from a recycled cardboard box. Old packaging is such great material for making your own notebooks. Have fun! Lynne x

HIGH SOCIETY DOG!

Once again, I've used the Stampsmith's New York stamp plate and created a 6" x 8" collage. This one incorporates the Rockefeller Center image with cutouts of a woman and dog taken from a book which features the annual high society dog shows of Long Island (NY) in the 1930's and 1940's. Other images to fit the theme, like "Tiffany & Co." and a "New York" postage cancellation, are stamped on patterned papers, along with vintage raffle tickets.

This collage is one of a pair, and can be seen in my shop on Etsy.

www.fishintheatticstudio.etsy.com

A Lady of Class

I have a Tiffany inspired card to share with you tonight. I love aqua and white together and thought I'd pair it with this fabulous photostamp of the beautiful, Audrey. Adorned in lots of bling, she's definitely ready for the show! :)

OH FRANK, YOU'RE SO DREAMY!

Frank Sinatra is a legend, and during his hay day, he was every woman's dream!

Here is a cute card featuring the Frank Sinatra single stamp by the Stampsmith. He is stamped in teal, cut out and added to a card with patterned paper stripes and dots, and paper punched stars. I paired him with a copy of a mid-century ad for engagement rings, to carry the theme and the era. The computer generated caption reads, "He was no Frank Sinatra, but she decided to take a chance, and said yes!".

This card is available in my shop on Etsy!

Paris Tag Card

Hi Smithies,

I have a quick post today to show you another card I made using the stamping on tissue paper technique. I have used the Eiffel tower image and a sentiment from the Paris Full Sheet available in the Stampsmith Shop. I stamped on a bright blue tissue with black dye ink.

There is more info over at my blog too. Hope you are having a sun shiny day!

Karen McAlpine

"I Do"

Traditionally, Springtime was a time for weddings. As Spring will soon be upon us I set to work making an altered canvas with one of the beautiful Bridal stamps from Wedding Bells, a plate full of images and quotes. I never tire of altering canvases, especially flipping them over to create an inexpensive shadowbox. This image fitted perfectly inside showing a border of the pattern paper I used (coincidentally called "Wedding"). Silicone glue was used to create dimension for the stamped image.
Would this not make a lovely alternative to a Wedding card for a very special couple or even for an anniversary.
A bit more detail of this altered canvas is on my Blog, Adorn.

A New Little Darling Boy

A new little bundle of joy came into the world yesterday, a sweet baby boy, born to friends of ours who are going to make wonderful parents. This is the card that I made for them. I'll get it to them soon, we all just need to get rid of our coughs first! I hate having to wait to get to hold a sweet little newborn! :(

I used a darling photostamp from the Darling Boys plate by The Stampsmith. This is such a sweet plate, and it comes with some cute little sayings, as well. The sentiment I used is also from this plate. In case you can't read it very well on the card, it reads,

What are little boys, made of?
Frogs and snails and puppy dog tails,
That's what little boys, are made of!

Thanks for stoppin' by! :)

Supplies:
Stamps: Darling Boys plate (The Stampsmith)
Cardstock: Flat White, Baby Blue, White Copic
Ink: Ancient Page - Coal Black (Tsukineko)
Tools: Cuttlebug, Just my Type - Buttons Embossing Folder (Provocraft)
Embellishments: Baby Blue Button Brads

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK!

Yesterday was the kick-off of Fashion Week, here in New York! That is when the country's fashion designers descend on Lincoln Center for their fall runway shows. It's always fun to see what will be "on the menu" for women's fashion next season!

I took this opportunity to use the Stampsmith's New York stamp collection of landmark locations around the city, and incorporate them onto cards along with vintage fashion images. Some of the images are from my collection of sewing pattern illustrations and advertisements, and others are stamped images. Together, they create a mid-century style, in the true "Mad Men" fashion!


The fabulous Chrysler Building, with it's Art Deco crown!

Central Park is a beautiful oasis in the center of the city!

The Guggenheim Museum spirals with art treasures!

And, of course, the lady-in-the-harbor herself, the Statue of Liberty!

Visit my Etsy shop to see more!

http://www.fishintheatticstudio.etsy.com/

Non-Traditional Colors Valentine's Day Card

Hi Smithies,

I have been working on Valentine's Day cards. I made one using non-traditional colors. I used the Stampsmith stamp "Love Under the Stars". I have been experimenting with stamping on tissue paper and really liked the results. I stamped up a bunch of images on the tissue and will be sharing the projects on my blog over the next several days. On this card, I stamped on white tissue paper with black ink.

I used a blue and brown color scheme... which I love. Here is another view.

I have the materials list and a peek at the inside on my blog. Did you know it is only five days until Valentine's day?? OMGosh!! I better get my cards in the mail. Have a great day!!

Karen McAlpine

MOVIE STARS AND PIN-UPS! Share the Love!

Hello all! I'm Karen Fisher, and I've been MIA from the Stampsmith Design Team blog for some time now! For those of you who are new since my last posting, I joined the team in the fall of 2009. I thoroughly enjoyed designing for the blog, but family duties have kept me from my studio!

I have some new "Love" themed cards to share with you, perfect for Valentine's Day! They were made using the wonderful stamps given to me by Estelle at her Greater New York Art Stamp Show, last November. She is very supportive and generous, and now that I'm back, I can't let her down!

The movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's" features the lovely AUDREY HEPBURN as Holly Golightly! Her image is available on the Audrey Hepburn plate by the Stampsmith. This card is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the movie, incorporating stamped images of oranges, eggs and coffee, to keep with the theme, and the text reads "Hungry For Your Love".

Marilyn Monroe was a movie icon and America's "Love Goddess" back in the day! This image is available on the Stampsmith's Marilyn 1 plate. She is "collaged" with a hand stamped cupid, luscious lips and patterned paper hearts.

This adorable little lady is from the Stampsmith's Pin-Ups plate, and I think she looks like Betty Grable! She was "collaged" with a book page that reads "femme fatale", patterned paper hearts and a hand stamped "love" definition and postage cancelations.

This image of AUDREY HEPBURN is available on the sheet of the same name from the Stampsmith. The idea for this card came again from the Holly Golightly character, who I thought was the craziest and most confused young lady! Thus, the concept of "Crazy For Your Love"! Using a book page which reads "tempt me to madness", a polka dotted heart and hand stamped text of Tiffany & Co., all are "collaged" together on a rose pink card.

All of the cards shown above are available in my Etsy shop:

http://www.fishintheatticstudio.etsy.com/

Sisterly Friendship

I'd like to share a card with you tonight that I made for one of my daughters for Valentine's Day. My thought was that it was to portray her and her sister and the friendship and memories they share. I cropped an adorable image from the Thank Heaven for Little Girls plate by The Stampsmith. I feel bad for cropping one of the sweet little girls out of the picture, but it wouldn't have made sense for the card if there was three girls in it. lol :) The sentiments, "Friendship, Happiness, Memories & Love are all from the Say it With Flair plate by The Stampsmith, as well.

Please check back tomorrow for the theme of our next challenge over at The Stampsmith Challenge blog!

Thanks for stoppin' by! :)

Smiles And Love

Today I am sharing a birthday card which I sent to a special friend
This sweet image is from Thank Heaven For Little Girls plate and "Smiles and Love" from Say It with Flair plate.

Angel Valentine's Day Card

Hello Smithies!

Today, I have a Valentine's Day card. I used the Stampsmith stamp "Little Angel (Large). Little Angel was stamped on glossy white cs with black dye ink. I made some background paper using a faux linen technique and added lots of fibers. Isn't she sweet??!!

There is more info, more photos, and a couple RAK cards on my blog if you care to take a look. Have a great day!!

Karen McAlpine

Masculine Birthday Wishes

I have a masculine birthday card to share with you today. I used the photostamp of an old truck from The Mountains plate by The Stampsmith. You can find it under 'Landscapes' in the online shop. Paired with some vintage clocks, I think this makes for a fun masculine birthday card. I hope my hubby likes it! :)

Cheers,

Lucy Birthday RAK Card

Hi Smithies,

Hope everyone had a great Holiday season. And, is completely recovered. Today I made a couple RAK cards for January Birthday ladies. I used a Lucy stamp from the Lucy Full Sheet. I just love the expression on her face.

I used a die to cut the card. Lucy is stamped on glossy white CS with black dye ink. I added a sentiment and a bright ribbon. Easy peasy. Fun card with a fun image! There is a bit more info on my blog.

Reminder:

There is still time to enter the Blog Candy Drawing on the Stampsmith Challenge Blog. Click over and check it out. Lots of goodies to win. Hope everyone has a great day!

Karen McAlpine